• Huzzah! The Bucket Brewery is making beer in its new location at 545 Pawtucket Ave. Fresh batches of Pail Ale are now available at select beer bars throughout the state, and tours and tastings will be offered on Saturdays starting on November 23. Samples of up to four beers ($5, which can be deducted from the purchase of a $15 growler) will be available from 10 am (hey, it’s the weekend) to 1 pm; tours will start on the hour between 2 and 5 ($8, includes tastings and a pint glass). As they say, “Don’t leave Pawtucket without a Bucket.”

And more news from the Bucket: Foolproof is expanding its distro range — it’s now on shelves and on tap statewide in Connecticut (they crossed into Massachusetts in May).

• Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island is marking its second anniversary with the release of a Belgian Quad. It will bow in its Westerly hometown at the Malted Barley and 84 Tavern on Canal, and be available in big bottles statewide in a few weeks.

• Somerville [MA] Brewing Company — better known as Slumbrew — is about to hit the Rhode Island market. We’ve bought their fare when we’ve snuck across the state line to load up on Boulevard, Dogfish, and Tröegs, and will be glad to save some gas and have access to Flagraiser IPA (7.5% ABV), Happy Sol (a hefeweizen made with blood oranges, 5.5%), Attic & Eaves (a toasted brown ale, 7.5%), Porter Square Porter (6.5%), and Trekker Trippel (a Belgian-style golden ale, 9.5%).

The Slumbrew crew will make its Rhody debut at the Great International Beer Fest (see the last iten). Visit their table and sample a few of their intriguing brews.

• The Great American Beer Festival , which certainly lives up to its name, took place in Denver October 10-12. At the Fest’s beer competition, they judged brews in 84 categories encompassing 138 styles; there were 4809 entries from 745 breweries from 49 states (plus DC). Most of the 252 winners, awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals, aren’t available in Rhode Island, since brewpubs and tiny beermakers with limited distribution account for the bulk of the honorees, but you can cull a tasty and diverse box of GABF-sanctioned suds at your favorite mix-a-six-or-more emporium: